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Leonardo

Aerospace, defense tech design and manufacturing

Trade Compliance Specialist

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/23/2026
No salary listed
Mid
Edinburgh, UK
HybridHybrid work combines onsite and home working; some national and possibly international travel may be required.
Risk & ComplianceRegulatory Compliance & Ethics

About the job

Requirements
  • Detailed knowledge of UK export licensing, including trade controls.
  • Good working knowledge of foreign import and export regulations, particularly those of EU member states, and US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR), including US ITAR agreements and general correspondence or retransfer requests under US and other export control regulations.
  • Good working knowledge of UK and EU customs regulations.
  • Presentation skills to deliver training.
  • Computer literacy, including Microsoft Office applications.
Responsibilities
  • Ensure record keeping complies with company procedures, HMRC requirements, and BIST regulations.
  • Process re-exports of imported goods under customs control so that financial liabilities can be discharged.
  • Work with project teams and functions to manage export control and trade compliance aspects of equipment and technology, including data, in compliance with UK and foreign export authorisations.
  • Support preparations for internal and external audits relating to export control and trade compliance.
  • Advise project teams on compliance with UK export control regulations and internal corporate policies and procedures, including advising the business on appropriate and valid UK export licences and required authorisations, such as MOD Form 680s, End User Stockist Undertakings, and other government permissions for exporting tangible and intangible items from the UK.
  • Submit and manage UK export licence applications to the UK Export Control Joint Unit via SPIRE or LITE, ensuring licences meet company requirements.
  • Submit MOD Form 680 applications to the UK Ministry of Defence via SPIRE or LITE when required, and liaise with the Ministry to secure approvals consistent with company requirements.
  • Provide specialist work, professional advice, and recommendations to project teams to support their effectiveness and ensure Commodity List Classification and export control ratings are in place for compliance with UK export regulations.
  • Ensure project teams receive clear licensing and customs guidance to secure timely outputs.
  • Contribute throughout project team delivery to ensure compliance is considered and maintained at every stage.
  • Contribute to planning and management by applying technical expertise in export licensing and customs management.
  • Ensure imported goods are processed under the correct customs authorisations, with associated records and periodic reporting to HMRC; provide import clearance instructions to freight agents promptly; process internal reports and maintain records to comply with HMRC regulations.
  • Process export notifications and requests; provide accurate export documentation promptly; assign appropriate export licences and customs procedures in company systems, currently SAP; and provide export clearance documentation and instructions to the shipping agent.
  • Support and prepare for internal and external audits.

About the company

Leonardo operates in aerospace, defense, and security, designing and manufacturing advanced technologies for militaries, intelligence agencies, and defense contractors. Its products combine hardware, software, and services and can include end-to-end systems built by subsidiaries such as Leonardo DRS; training and ongoing support are core parts of the offering. The company differentiates itself through a broad, diversified portfolio and long-standing relationships with US and allied governments, enabling end-to-end development and sustainment. Its goal is to provide reliable, state-of-the-art capabilities with strong customer support and training for defense, intelligence, and civil infrastructure customers.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Rome, Italy

Founded

2022

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • H1 2026 orders jumped 45% to €16 billion, and guidance rose July 30.
  • FY2025 revenue reached €19.5 billion, with 2026 guidance targeting about €21 billion.
  • European Defence Fund awarded Leonardo €64 million on 15 projects, deepening sovereign demand.

What critics are saying

  • Italy’s CEO replacement fight triggered investor backlash and governance distrust on May 7, 2026.
  • OHB threatened litigation over Project Bromo, risking a dragged EU review into 2027.
  • Integrating IDV, Becrypt, and space assets strains execution; any stumble kills consolidation credibility.

What makes Leonardo unique

  • Leonardo fused IDV and electronics, creating integrated land-systems primes on March 18, 2026.
  • Project Bromo positions Leonardo inside Europe’s strongest satellite consortium against SpaceX by 2027.
  • Becrypt and Leonardo DRS extend one stack across classified cyber, AI, and mission software.

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Benefits

  • Remote Work Options
  • Flexible Work Hours
  • Health Insurance

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

4%

1 year growth

13%

2 year growth

14%
Yahoo Finance
Jul 31st, 2026
Leonardo's H1 2026 orders surge 40% to $18.1B, EBITDA guidance raised to $2.5B

Leonardo SpA reported a 40% surge in orders to approximately €16 billion in H1 2026, driven by strong demand across divisions including major helicopter and jet contracts. Revenue rose 10% year-over-year, excluding currency headwinds. EBITDA reached €730 million, up 30%, whilst return on sales improved to 7.6% from 6.5%. Adjusted net income increased 74% and free operating cash flow improved 45% despite remaining negative in the first half. The company raised its full-year guidance, increasing expected new orders to €28.2 billion, EBITDA to €2.21 billion, and free operating cash flow to €1.37 billion. Net debt stood at €3.2 billion, including the IVECO Defence Vehicles acquisition. The acquisition contributed €6 billion to the backlog and €400 million in Q2 revenues. Helicopter deliveries increased from 72 to 81 units, whilst aerostructures revenue jumped 44% on higher B7A7 production rates.

Yahoo Finance
Jun 23rd, 2026
Europe's $7.3B space merger aims to rival SpaceX as Airbus, Leonardo and Thales seek approval

Airbus, Leonardo and Thales are preparing to seek European Union approval for a three-way space merger, arguing Europe needs a unified champion to compete with SpaceX and China. The deal, known as Project Bromo, would combine major European space assets across satellite manufacturing and systems. The proposed company would employ roughly 25,000 people, generate approximately €6.5 billion in annual revenue and maintain an order backlog exceeding three years. Ownership would be split with Airbus holding 35% whilst Leonardo and Thales would each own 32.5%. The merger faces opposition from Germany's OHB and Spain's Indra Space, which warn it could reduce competition in Europe's satellite market. The deal represents an early test of new European Commission merger guidelines that may prioritise scale when companies face global competitors.

MarketScreener
Jun 12th, 2026
Leonardo wins $72M from EU Defence Fund for 15 space and defence projects

Leonardo has secured €64 million in funding from the 2025 European Defence Fund, with 15 of its 18 submitted proposals selected. The allocation includes €51 million for development and €13 million for research across 11 capability development initiatives and four research projects. The EDF 2025 cycle saw 57 projects selected from 410 submissions, involving 634 entities across 26 European countries plus Norway and Ukraine, with a total budget of approximately €1 billion. Small and medium-sized enterprises represented 38% of participants. Key Leonardo projects include ASIMOV, focused on in-orbit operations for European defence, and ANEMOS, a research initiative for radio communication solutions. Including contributions from group subsidiaries, Leonardo's total funding reaches approximately €84 million.

404 Media
Jun 8th, 2026
Surveillance firm plans to link phones, AirPods and smartwatches to license plate readers

Leonardo, a surveillance company, plans to add SignalTrace sensors to automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) that would collect unique identifiers from mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, and other electronics in passing vehicles. The technology would link these device identifiers to licence plates, enabling law enforcement to track specific individuals rather than just vehicles. SignalTrace can detect RFID tags in key cards, Bluetooth devices like headphones and fitness trackers, vehicle components such as tyre pressure sensors, and Wi-Fi sources including laptops. The system stores this data for future searches and uses algorithms to correlate devices that consistently travel together with specific licence plates. Leonardo sells ALPR cameras to law enforcement and government agencies. The company did not respond to requests for comment about the product.

Yahoo Finance
May 7th, 2026
OHB threatens legal action over Airbus-Thales-Leonardo satellite merger

German satellite maker OHB will consider legal action if EU regulators approve a planned merger of Airbus, Thales and Leonardo's satellite businesses, CEO Marco Fuchs told Reuters on Thursday. The three aerospace groups announced "Project Bromo" in October, aiming to create a stronger European competitor to SpaceX and Chinese rivals. However, OHB fears the deal could weaken competition and disrupt its supply chain in Europe. Fuchs dismissed comparisons with Chinese competitors, noting Europe does not purchase satellites from China. The core regulatory question is whether the new entity would primarily compete globally or reinforce market dominance in Europe. OHB's market value has risen roughly fivefold to €5 billion over the past year. The company reported 18% quarterly revenue growth with order backlog up 45%.